Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-03-08
A YOUNG SUICIDE.
A SHOT rHRoueH raE HEAD IN THE
ROAD.
An Unusual Sensation Complaint Of
Assault and Robbery In the
street-Minor Notes.
Correspondence Of the Richmond Dispatch
prrppsn,rra March z 1897.

the Norfolk and Western railroad, com
mitted suicide near that place yesterday
afternoon by shooting himself through
the head with q pistol. Judging from
the fact that the weapons 32-calibre
Smith 4 wesson revolver--was fired
into the night temple, and that the ball
passed through the head and made It's
exit on the left side, death must have
been almost instantaneous. MIR. Smith
was employed by his brother at Dispu-
tanta, and was generally respected in
the community. He had been unfor-
tunate in having lost leg some time
ago by an accident on the Norfolk and
Western railroad and in suffering other
Affections, which, IL is said, had de
pressing effect upon his mind.
He attended church on Sunday, and
subsequently went to dine with his
uncle. about one mile distant from
Disputanta. Nothing unusual was no.
ticed about him, and it was not even
suspected that he had a pistol in his
rocket. or that he ever contemplated
the dreadful act of killing himself.
After dining with his uncle he left to
return TO his home in Disputanta.
This was the last seen of him alive.
A colored man passing along found his
dead body lying in the road-the brain
oozinQ from the wounds on either side
of the head-and still warm. The
pistol. a seyen-shooter, was lying under
his arm with one barrel freshly dis
charged and the others loaded. One
shot had done its work effectively. The
body was conveyed to DisputantA, and
to-day was brought to this city for IN
terment in Blandford cemetery. The
deceased WAS well known here.
A CRIMINAL SENSATION.
At late hour on Saturday night Mr..
J. L. Hughes, an elderly gentleman of
this CITY, who is the contractor for car
rying the mails on the route between
Petersburg and Jerusalem and inter
vening points, presented himself at the
station-house in a rather bloody condi-
ton, and made complaint that he had
been assaulted and robbed 10y party
of young men on River street He
stated that a cloth had been thrown
over his head, that he was struck with
bottle, and exhibited a severe cut on
the scalp as an evidence of the wound
inflicted by the blow, and also
gave evidence of one or more teeth
Knocked from his mouth by the
blows he had received He added
further that after being knocked down
he was robbed of his watch and all the
money he had about his person, after
which his assailantsfe He was enabled
with much difficulty to get to the sta
tion-house and make his complaint. He
was asked if he could identify hisassail-
ants and he said he could. The inform9-
ton he gave led TO the arrest on Satur-
day night and yesterday of five young
men upon warrants charging them with
the assault and robbery. Their names
are Alfred Grotz, William A. Langston,
Robert Hall, Perrie Plumer, and Will
liam Parkington-all of whom were
lodged in Jail TO await examinations
This morning the cases were called
in the Mayors Court, large crowd
being present to hear the evidence.
Langston and Darlington are said to be
from Richmond. Nearly all the parties
were represented by counsel, and with
the exception of the case of Parking
ton all the others were continued until
Thursday, and the parties accused re-
fused bail Darlington satisfactorily
established an diibi, proving by his own
testimony and that of other witnesses
that he was not at all implicated in the
robbery. He was therefore discharged.
Mr. Hughes was placed upon the wit
ness-stand, and made brief statement
TO the effect that about $50 o'clock
on Saturday night he met four or five
young men at n certain house on
Lombard street that one of them
asked him if he had change for s.
bill that he ran his hand in his pocket
and replied that he had; that one OF the
party-Mr. Grotz-asked him for ten
cents TO get some liquor that he gave
it to him, and subsequently took a
drink that walk was then proposed
and acceded to T; that they left the
house together and walked some dis
lance, taking one or more drinks on the
route that OH Old street some whiszey
was offered to him which smelt so strong
of mixture that he refused to touch it
that when they reached River street a
cloth was suddenly thrown over his
head that feeling that his time had
come he thrice cried ont "Murder y;
that he was beaten over the head and
then robbed
1t may here be stated that a short
time subsequent to the robbery a
watch was pawned at a store in the
lower part Of the city, which was lden-
titled by Mr.. Hughes as the one taken
from his person. II is also stated that
Alfred Grotz, in the presence of the
other parties accused, made state
ment duplicating himself and the
others in the robbery. 1t is further
more alleged that the mixture put in
the whiskey which Hughes refused to
drink was laudanuni, purchased for the
purpose OF drugging him. But it may
be stated that one or more of the par
ties claim that by indisputable evidence
they will prove an 0Libi and clear
their skirts of the charge. The affair
has caused q genuine sensation In the
community.
A COOL BURGLARY.
I'm Saturday nlgnt lne reSluencc Vi
Mr.. Charles Bozell, ON Halifax street.
was broken into by burglars. What
they were after is not known, as nothing
of value was carried away. But the
evidence of their visit was indicated in
the fact that they kindled a fire in the
dining-room, heated some tea, and
helped themselves to all the provisions
they could find, and evidently spent
some time in the house enjoying them
selves.
MISCELLANEOUS NOTES.
Several candidates were baptized at
the First Baptist church last night.
A great deal of interest is felt in the
meeting OF the Common Council soon
to be held to take action on the propo-
sition submitted by the Virginia and
Carolina railroad for Reorganization
OF that company.
Mr. and Mrs. Allen Donnan Qate
Miss Talmage) attended service yester
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